The Walt Disney Company (DIS): A Bull Case Theory

Core Thesis - The Walt Disney Company is experiencing a bullish outlook due to significant progress in profitability, cash generation, and strategic refocusing across its diversified media and experiences portfolio [2][6]. Financial Performance - FY-2025 adjusted EPS grew by 19%, enabling a planned $7 billion share-repurchase program and a 50% dividend hike [3]. - Disney generated $94.4 billion in revenue and $17.6 billion in segment operating income, supported by improvements across its segments [3]. Segment Performance - The Entertainment segment benefited from a record box-office slate, strong consumer-products sales, and the profitable scaling of Disney+ and Hulu, which together reached 196 million subscribers [4]. - Streaming profitability marked an inflection point, driven by higher ARPU and tighter marketing spending, with plans to consolidate Disney+ and Hulu into a single app [4]. - The Experiences segment delivered record results as domestic and international parks, cruise lines, and consumer products showed resilience despite macro and weather-related pressures [5]. Strategic Initiatives - Disney's YouTube TV agreement reflects its willingness to embrace flexible distribution partnerships that expand reach and strengthen monetization [5]. - ESPN advanced its direct-to-consumer transition, launching a standalone service and renewing key sports-rights agreements [4]. Future Outlook - Strong FY-2026 guidance targets double-digit entertainment growth, a 10% DTC margin, and continued expansion in experiences, positioning Disney to build on its momentum [6].